Legging protector



Aug. 15, 1933. f Q NILSEN 1,922,172

LEGGING PROTECTOR' Filed June 22, 1952 Jnz/nfr.- 35am/d Clase?? UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE lil f moltenV metal therewith.

Patented Aug. V, 193,3

. 91,922,172 LEGGING PROTECTOR Harold CfNilsen', Chicago, Ill. Application Julie. 22,1932). serialNeelaelis iclaims. (ci. afs- 2) This invention relates to legging protectors and more particularly to leggings for .use in foundries and similar situations, although certain features thereof maybe employed Withequal advantage for other purposes. i

In leggings for foundry use, ithas been found highly advantageous to provide `expedients which enable the ready association and disassociation thereof with4 the legs of the users.` Thisis espe-- ciallyimportant owing to thepossibility of the deposit of molten metal upon any part of the' legging. The instant removal of `the legging is essential, since the materialthereof is only prepared to preclude momentary contact of the Thenptoo, attachment must be certain, dependable,` and capable of being effected `With ease and rapidity. Careful registry of the cooperating fastening expedients is not always possible, and suchoften proves troublesome and a task too uncertain to render known expediente entirely desirable and practical for such devices.`

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved legging structurethat is readily Vapplied and removed from operative position.

Another Objectis `to provide improved fastening expediente for legging protectors;

Still anotherobject is the provision of a legging structure having a flexible member for cooperation with grooved endengaging fasteners. r Afurther object `is the provision of .improved aligning and fastener expedients for` leggings serving as emergency protectors. i Y

A still further object is to provide improved means for effecting the Vregistry `of the fastening expedients upon leggings serving-as protectors against accidental hazards in foundries ands'inilar situations.A p

Still a further object is the provision of leggings having ailexible bar for cooperation with grooved members havingbarregistering arches therein to effect the ready attachment and detachment thereof. l .i Q l l p l i Other objects and-advantageswill appear from the following description `of an illustrative embodiment ofthe present invention. In theV drawing l i L Figure l is a side View in elevation of a legging embodying features` of the'present invention, it

being shown applied in operative position to the leg of the wearer. i

Figure `2 is `an inside view of a legging shown removed from the legof the-wearer and open for flat extensionto expose the entire interior` thereof in a common plane; 1 Figure 3 is a bottom view of part of the legging shown in Figures 1 and 2." 1 Figurei is afragmentary view in elevation of the fastening expedients embodied in connection with the legging shown in Figures 1 and 2.

to preclude instantaneous burning by Figure 5 is a perspective view of the legging showing the fastening bar ina flex position.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the expcdients employed for cooperation with the ilexible bar, it being shown with a part thereof broken awayto clarify theshowing-` 1 The structure selected for illustration comprises a leggingconst'ructed from a sheetofiiexible material 10 such as buckskin, leather, asbestos, can-- vas or other fire-treated fabric which will serve the lodgmentof moltenmaterialthereon. l

The sheet of material 10 may be of substantially rectangular configuration with the top edge thereof preferably provided with a hem 11 Which secures a reinforcing fabric such as a strip of burlap 12 thereto proximate to one of the side edges 13 thereof. The burlap fabric 12 is of elongated rectangular configuration with the top edge thereof secured by the hem 11 so as to extend for the depth of the sheet 10 for stitched attachment thereto along `the edges 14 thereof. In consequence, the burlap strip 12 serves as aireinforcefor access to cooperating `expediente on other parts of the sheet 10 as will appear more fully hereinafter. In order to enclose the sheet 10 around the leg 21 of the wearer, a pair of plates 22 and 23 are fixed exteriorly along the top and bottom edges, respectively, of the sheet 10 proximate to the edge 13. Each of the plates V22 "and 23 hasan edge thereof up-turned to provide a ange 24 dening a groove or trough 25 to reeeive` the extremities of the flexible bar 18 therein. It is to be noted that the bar extremities p20 are tapered to enable the convenient entrance thereof in slots or notches of corresponding size, and to this end the plate grooves 25 are provided with a series of notches 26 uniformly placed along the bottom of the groove 25.`

It isto be noted that each of the plates 22 and 23 has a face thereof provided with a plurality of apertures 27 for enabling the attachment to the legging sheet 10. In the present embodiment, rivets 28 areresorted to as the fastening expedients to effect the attachment of the plates Y22 and 23 to the exterior of the sheet 10 proximate the side edge 13 and with the troughs 25 thereof adjacent thetop and bottom edges 11 and 29,

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plates 22 and 23 in confronting relation to receive the bar extremities 20 to guide the registry thereof with the notches 26 provided in alignment therein. It is to be noted that the bar 18 is flexed to afford the entryl in the troughs 25, and this enables the bar extremities 20 to locate notches 26 for effecting a registry therewith, thereby holding the sheet 10 around the leg 21 of the wearer. To effect removal, the bar 18 is merely flexed or bowed outwardly to enable instant disassociation of the complemental fastening expedients, namely the bar extremities 20 and the plates 22-23 Reinforcement of the legging 10 is further provided by a plurality of reeds 30 disposedvertically in horizontally spaced parallelism in a position to protect the forward leg area. The reeds 30 are applied to the interior-surface of the sheet 10 with a piece of material 31 applied thereover for stitched attachment to the sheet 10. Lines of stitches 32 form Ypockets to receive individual reeds 30 which are precluded from removal by a boundary stitch 33 cooperating with the stitches 32 to form enclosed pockets which maintainthe reeds 30 in position. The reeds 30 protect theleg from being bruised and further rigidify the legging 10 which serves as a protector. In order to preclude the deposit of molten material upon the shoes 34 of the wearer, a flap 35 is shaped to conform with the toe of the shoe 30 which is stitched to the sheet 10 which is cut out as at 36 for that purpose. The flap 35 is normally arched and curved to assume the contour of the shoe 34, it being stitched to the cut-out 36 in the sheet 10. A fiber or other suitable protecting plate 371s fastened to the under side of the shoe flap 35 so as to protect the toes from impact by any article or device that may accidentally be lodged thereon. The shoe flap 35 is of substantially the same material as the sheet 10, and the entire exposed area of an individual is thus protected by the legging 10 beneath the knee. A` plate protecting flap 38 is stitched or otherwise secured to the top edge 11 so as torconceal the plate 22 and preclude the deposit of molten material thereon which possibly could fuse the metallic bar therewith. It is to be noted that the plates22 and 23 are slightly curved or arcuate to conform with the contour of the leg 21 of the wearer and the series of notches 27 provided in the trough 25 thereof serve to enable the adjustment of the legging 10 to individuals of different size. Thus a standard legging may be provided for use by individuals without requiring special sizes or changes. In order to eiect the application of the legging 10 of the wearer 21, the bar 18 is bowed so that the pointed extremities 20 thereof will enter the troughs 25 of the plates 22 and 23. Thereupon, the bar extremities 20 will find the proper notches 26 for registry therewith in order that the legging 10 will tightly embrace the leg of the'V wearer 2l; It is not necessary that the bar extremities 20 be carefully applied so as to accurately register with any of the .slots 26 since the flange 24 denes the trough 25 to guide the barextremities 20 for automatic registry with the proper notches 26 in the confronting plates 22 and 23. In this position, the edge 13 will underlie the edgeY 15 which is overlapped therewith so that registry may be eifected between the bar 18 and the plates 22 and 23. This enables the more speedy application of the leggingl() to operative position without precluding or obstructing instantaneous removal by'bowing the bar 18 outwardly in the manner similar to its application. Should an accident occur and molten material be lodged on any part of the legging 10, the wearer immediately effects the removal thereof by merely grasping the bar 18 and slightly bowing such outwardly to effect removal of the bar extremities 20 from the notches 26 and trough 25.

` Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a legging, the combination with a sheet of flexible material for encircling the leg of a wearer with one vertical edge portion overlapping the opposite edge portion of metallic plates secured to the outer surface of the underlying edge portions adjacent the upper and lower edges of said sheet, said plates having troughs opening towards each other, a flexibly resilient metal bar secured to the outer one of said overlapped edge portion for extension vertically in engagement with said troughs to secure the sheet in place around the lleg of the user, and means in said trough for limiting the extent of displacement of said bar along said trough.

2. In a legging, the combination with a sheet of flexible material for encircling the leg of the wearer with one vertical edge portion overlapping the Opposite edge portion, sheet metal strips secured to the outer surface of the underlying edge portions in confronting relation adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof, said strips each having confronting troughs, there being a plurality of slots along said troughs, a flexibly resilient metal bar xed to the other edge of the sheet adapted to overlap the rst named edge to envelop the leg of the wearer, and slot registering extremities on said flexible bar for guidance in said plate troughs to secure said sheet material around the leg of the wearer.

3. In a leggingythe combination with a sheet of flexible material for encircling the leg of the wear with one vertical edge portion overlapping the opposite edge portion, horizontally disposed sheet metallic straps secured to the outer surface of the underlying edge portions adjacent its upper and lower edges, said straps each having confronting troughs, a plurality of notches extending along said troughs, and a flexibly resilient metal bar fixed along the vertical overlapping edge of said sheet to project the extremities thereof into said trough responsive to bowed flexing, said bar having tapered extremites for limited registry with said notches for the purpose set forth.

4. In a legging, the combination with a sheet of flexible material for encircling the leg of a wearer with one vertical edge portion overlapping the opposite edge portion, metallic plates vsecured to the cuter surface ofthe underlying edge portion adjacent the upper and lower edges of said sheet, said plates having flanges defining troughs opening towards each other, and a flexibly resilient metal bar secured to the overlapping vertical edge of said sheet to enter said troughs, and bar receiving notches in said plates to retain the flexible sheet in enveloping relation around the leg of the wearer, said bar being flexible outwardly away from said inner edge portion to enable the release thereof from said notches.

l HAROLD C. NILSEN. 

